Bishop takes heat for unusual ceremony

A bishop in the US has is facing criticism after a video appeared of him laying on top of two men as part of an unusual consecration ceremony.

Bishop Wayne T Jackson, of Impact Ministries, says the ritual has been taken out of context and is nothing more than a covering of prayer.

The video appeared on YouTube and provoked accusations of sexual perversion, according to the Detroit News.

In it, Bishop Jackson appears dressed in red and white robes as lays face down on top of the two men, who are shrouded in robes on the floor.

The bishop says there was nothing sexual about the act and that people who think otherwise have "nasty minds".

The father of nine told The News: "I have done nothing wrong. This was done in front of a thousand people."

The Reverend Horace Sheffield III, of New Destiny Baptist Church in Detroit, criticised the ritual during his radio show on WCHB-1200 AM.

"If I were Wayne T Jackson, I would find another way to ordain bishops in the future," he said.

According to the Detroit News, Bishop Jackson is seeking legal advice about having the video removed from YouTube.

News
The first Christmas song to be sung in churches
The first Christmas song to be sung in churches

Every Christmas, people sing the song “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night”. Unlike many other songs and carols that include elements of non-biblical tradition and myth, this song is pure Scripture. It was the first Christmas song authorised to be sung in the Church of England. This is the story …

The story of the Christmas Truce of 1914
The story of the Christmas Truce of 1914

On Christmas Eve in 1914, many men were in the trenches fighting the war, but the spirit of Christmas halted the conflict for a brief period. This is the story …

Report highlights injustices experienced by Christians in the Holy Land
Report highlights injustices experienced by Christians in the Holy Land

Jerusalem Church leaders have released a report detailing the struggles and challenges currently faced be Christians living in the Holy Land.

Have you lost the wonder of Christmas?
Have you lost the wonder of Christmas?

For you who have been followers of Jesus Christ for a long time, maybe the pain and suffering of this world and the darkness you have had to live through this past year has gotten you down to the point of complete and utter discouragement. But all is not lost.